Hydraulic machine



A. YOUNG HYDRAULI C MACHINE J u ne 22, 1937.

Filed Aug. 3, 1936 4 A L AL Paw INVENTOR :ARTHUR Yo 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY June 22, 1937. YOUNG HYDRAULIC MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 -l NVENTOR ARTHUR YOUNG Y ATTORNEY June 22, 1937. YOUNG 2,084,369

HYDRAULIC MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1936 v s Sheets-Sheet s Fig.4-

INVENTOR ARTHUR YOUNG ATTORN EY Patented June 22, 1937 HYDRAULIC MACHINE Arthur Young, York, Pa., assignor to S. Morgan Smith Company, York, Pa... a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 3, 1936, Serial No. 94,009

2 Claims. (01. 253-122) This invention relates in general to improvements in hydraulic machines, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of wicket gate actuating mechanisms for hydraulic turbines and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide new and useful improvements in the construction of wicket gate actuating mechanisms for hydraulic turbines and the like having what is commonly termed the submerged type of gate operating mechanism with the shifting ring on the curb or bottom plate. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a connection between the wicket gates of a hydraulic turbine and the gate shifting ring which may be readily inserted and removed, thereby permitting ready assembling and disassembling of the parts of the turbine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wicket gate link for hydraulic turbines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved pin for connecting the links with the wicket gates of a hydraulic turbine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of wicket gate actuating mechanism for hydraulic turbines of the character mentioned which is simple in construction, and reliable and exact in function under all conditions of service.

The invention also comprises certain new and useful improvements in the construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:--

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a hydraulic turbine showing the application of my invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing in plan, a plurality of wicket gates connected to the gate shifting ring by means of my improved gate link, the section lines forthe wicket gates being omitted to more clearly show the parts underlying the wicket gates;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan, partly in section, of one of the wicket gates and the link which connects the wicket gate with the gate shifting ring, as seen from the line 3-3 of Fig. 4, the manner of removing and inserting the gate link being shown by broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective of the pin used to connect one end of the gate link with a wicket gate.

Referring to the drawings, the type of hydraulic turbine to which the invention has been specifically applied by way of illustration comprises a runner II mounted in an open fiume setting consisting of a bottom or curb plate I2 disposed on a, concrete pedestal I3, and a top or crown plate I4 superposed above the bottom or curb plate I2 and supported by a plurality of columns I5, also carried by the pedestal I3, as shown in Fig. 1. The space between the bottom or curb plate l2 and top or crown plate I4 constitutes an annular inlet for the water delivered to the runner II, and beneath thevbottom or curb plate [2 there is the usual draft tube I6, through which the water flows after it leaves the runner. The top or crown plate I4 is so formed as to direct the water towards the runner II in the usual manner. 1

The bottom or curb plate I2, pedestal I3 and top or crown plate I4 are circular in form, and the columns I5, which are spaced asuitable distance apart, are arranged around the peripheries of the top and bottom plates, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Vertically disposed between the bottom or curb plate I2 and the top or crown plate I4, is an annular series of wicket gates I1, which are arranged within the annular series of columns l5." As shown in Fig. 2, the number of wicket, gates I'I may exceed the number of columns I5. The wicket gates I! are adapted to be rotated simultaneously into different angular positions to control the flow pf water to the runner II.

Each wicket gate I1 is pivotally mounted on a shaft I8. which extends through the wicket gate, the lower end of the shaft being journalled in a suitable opening I9 formed in thebottom or curb plate I2 and the upper end of said shaft is journalled in a bushing 20 mounted in the top or crown plate I I. The upper and lower extremities of the shaft I8 are threaded for the reception of nuts 2|, 22, respectively, which are adapted to retain the shaft in position.

The wicket gates I1 and shafts I8 are so formed that when the nuts 2 I, 22 are removed, the shafts ,can be withdrawn upwardly to permit the dis-.

mantling of the wicket gates without interference from the other parts of the turbine setting.

Encircling the periphery of the curb plate I2, is a gate shifting ring 23 which is supported by a suitable flange 24 projecting laterally from the curb plate. The gate shifting ring 23 is adapted to be operated in a well known manner so as to simultaneously rotate the wicket gates, and for this purpose said ring has fixed thereto one end of an operating rod 25, the other end of said rod being connected to a governor or actuator (not shown).

One end of each-wicket gate I1 is operatively connected with the gate shifting ring 23 by means of a link 26.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, one end of. the link 26 is formed with an opening 21 through which is inserted a bolt 28 which is also inserted through an opening 29 formed in the gate shifting ring 23. The openings 21 and 29 have difierent'diameters, and the shank of the bolt 28 is likewise correspondingly formed with two diameters, with a shoulder 30 therebetween. The upper end of the bolt 28 is formed with a head 31 which prevents l The other end 36 of the link 26 is disposed in a notched or cut-out portion 33 in the lower corner of the wicket gate l1, as shown best in Fig. 2.

The end 36 of link 26 is formed with an opening 34 having a slot 35 cut into one side.

For the purpose of securing the end 36 of link 26' to the wicket gate 11, I employ a screw 31 having a threaded portion at its upper end disposed in a threaded opening 36 formed in the wicket gate l1, said screw having its main unthreaded portion formed with diametrically disposed parallelplain surfaces 39 which are spaced apart a distance less than the opening of slot 35 so that when the parts are so positioned, the

end 36 of the link 26 can be manipulated to en-- I gage 'said screw or to be disengaged irom the screw 31.

The opening 34 in the end ,36 of the link 26 is formed circular tor accommodating the circular portion 41 of screw 31 and permitting free movement of the end of the wicket gate 11 with respect to the link 26 in the usual manner.

In order that the end 3610f the link will be supported from the wicket gate 11, the lower end of the screw 31 is formed with a head 46, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and said head is disposed in a suitable cavity 42 in the bottom of the end 36 0f the link.

When it is desired toremove a link 26 from the turbine, bolt 28 is first removed from the gate shifting ring 23, thereby freeing one end of the link so that said link may be rotated or swun about the screw 31.

The link 26 is next moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 by the broken lines A. This action alines the opening of the slot 35 with the reduced portion of the screw formed by the parallel plain surfaces 33. With the parts thus. positioned, the link 26 can now be detached from the wicket gate 11 by moving the link towards the position shown by the broken lines B, Fig. 3.

On the other hand, when it is desired to replace a link, the above operation is reversed, that is to say, a link is first moved from the position shown by the dotted lines B, Fig. 3 to the dotted line position A and then swung around to the full line'position. The bolt 28 is then inserted through alined openings 21 and 29 and the nut 32 applied to the lower end of the bolt.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the screw 31 can remain in position on the underside of the wicket gate, since it is not necessary to remove said screw inorder to attach or detach a link 26. Therefore, in order to retain the screw 31 in position in the wicket gate with its plain parallel surfaces 39 properly disposed to permit attachment and detachment. of a link 26 in the'above described manner, a pin 43 is driven through the screw, as shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to remove the screw 31, pin 43 can first be removed thereby permitting turning of the screw by means of a suitable tool such as a wrench or the like.

,By the present invention, the operation of removal or replacement of the links used with the submerged type of gate operating mechanism with a gate shifting ring on the bottom plate, is considerably facilitated, as will be understood.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a hydraulic machine, the combination with a gate shifting ring and a pivotally mounted gate adapted to be turned by said ring, of a link,

a bolt pivotally connecting one end of said link with said ring, the other end of said link having a slotted opening formed therein, and a member carried by said gateand having a pair of parallel plain surfaces adapted to receive the slotted end of said link when said link is detached from the ring and disposed in one position, said member in all other positions of the link being adapted to provide means for pivotally connecting the slotted end of said link with said gate whereby the gate may be turned by the link from said ring when the opposite end of said link is pivotally connected to said ring.

2. The combination with agate shifting ring and a pivotally mounted gate adapted to be turned by said ring, of a link, a bolt pivotally connecting one end of said link with said ring, the other end of said link having a slotted opening formed therein, a screw mounted in said gate and having a round shank formed with a pair of parallel means for pivotally connecting the slotted endof said link with said gate whereby the gate may be turned by the link from said ring, and detachable means for pivotally connecting the opposite end of said link with said ring. a

YOUNG.

plain surfaces spaced apart a distance less than 

